Yo-kai Watch Nights: The Life and Times of Spectral Holmes
by gensou ichida
Summary: "When a yokai enters your life, things will never be quite the same." So it goes when the carefree 20-something-year-old Alex Holmes gets ahold of a mysterious compass. With his old dog-turned-yokai Snowbell keeping him company, the two explore the hidden world of yokai in the sleepy seaside city of Southvale, making new friends and solving bizarre mysteries along the way.
1. Preface and Prologue

_These seem to be the standard for a handful of multichapter YW fics here in the west, so I might as well get these out of the way as well._

_1\. If self-insert stuff, fancharacters, headcanons, and occasional canon divergence and that sorta junk aren't your thing, best steer clear of this. Not even claiming to be "better than canon" or anything, just having fun._

_2\. Additionally, this fic is set in an "American" setting for the most part. I tend to draw setting inspirations from real life (despite the setting itself being wholly fictional), but I also don't live in Japan. Think of it as taking place in the english version of the games/anime, and you'll probably worry a lot less._

_3\. English/dub yokai names take preference, though there may be cases where the Japanese names are used instead or used interchangeably. This can essentially be summed up as "I really don't like the name Venoct"._

_4\. Yokai will be spelled as "yokai", save for in the case of proper nouns and place names such as "Yo-kai Watch" and "Yo-kai World"._

_5\. There will be some violence, heavy themes, and light swearing in this fic. Worst you'll get is "hell" and "damn", but even then don't expect it too often._

_6\. Probably should go without saying, but this story is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and events are entirely fictitious, and any resemblance to places or peoples that exist in real life are completely coincidental. Besides, I trust you guys can separate fiction from reality._

_With all these said, I feel I should say another important note, especially since it ties in heavily to the first two points._

_Fantasy media is a very important part of my life. Games, books, tabletop RPGs, TV shows and films, and much more that'd be impossible to list. Not only have fantasy works been a source of inspiration for my creative works, but they've been an important escape from real life as well._

_Growing up sucks. Tragedy sucks. Awful people suck. When the ugly side of the real world shows, fantasy games take us away from all that, even if just for a short time. Games like Morrowind, Banjo-Kazooie, Disgaea, Warcraft, and of course Yo-kai Watch, they've all helped me deal with some of the worst things that've been tossed my way. Escapism through fantasy media like those has been a powerful coping tool throughout my life._

_Of course, as much as escapism is all well and good, never underestimate the power of good friendships to help you weather the storm. I've known some fantastic people throughout my life, and I'm glad they're still a part of it to this very day. In a sense, this fic might as well not even exist without their support, both in my life and in my art and writing. I wanna thank you guys for sticking with me for so long. 3_

_Anyhow, with that taken into consideration, it's not entirely weird that a twenty-something-year-old like me quickly stuck to a franchise like Yo-kai Watch. I could go on and on talking about why I love this franchise, but I'll keep things short._

_To me, YW is a celebration of the relationship between both the supernatural and mundane, how folklore and how we see and interpret the world shapes our culture and inspires creative minds the world over. Of course we can't forget its themes of friendship as well. It may be cliche, but it's still a powerful theme and one that still personally rings out to me._

_With more "fantastical" settings like Disgaea and Ratchet&Clank, it always feels rather strange to project myself on a fancharacter based around those settings, and I've never wholly based any of my "persona" characters on how I am IRL because of this. With Yo-kai Watch's more "familiar" world, I think I'll have a more comfortable time writing "myself" in that setting, as it's mostly just the "real" world with a supernatural side to it. It's a good mediator between "fantasy" and "reality" for me to explore myself in a writing medium and enjoy it._

_So yeah, that's the explanation as to why there's going to be a bunch of self-insert stuff in this; self-discovery in fantasy escapism._

_Though as a reader, I wouldn't worry about all this in the long run. In the end, you're just here for a fun ride, and I'm sure as hell going to do my best to give you one._

_TL;DR, don't take this fic too seriously, I hope you enjoy the read, and remember: any attempt to replicate yokai behavior would be ill-advised! c:_

_~gensou ichida / the real Alex Holmes_

* * *

_Prologue - Merry Belated Christmas_

**DECEMBER 26, LAST YEAR**

Tonight was not a very restful night.

Alex found himself wide awake at 2 in the morning. He always had trouble sleeping, but it seems like going to bed earlier wasn't fixing the problem, not with how his mind was at the moment. Even the din of his bedroom radio couldn't drown out the kind of thoughts he had swimming through his mind.

Anxious thoughts. Worrisome thoughts. Thoughts that he kept dwelling on years after the fact.

They'd always been there, and he hated it.

Still, it wouldn't be much use to just lay in bed staring at the basement ceiling all night. On nights like this, Alex had his own ways to keep himself distracted until morning (or at least until he felt sleepy enough). Specifically, he could spend the rest of the night either playing handheld video games, staying up on the computer, or reading under lamplight. Unfortunately, the last thing Alex wanted was his parents waking up in the middle of the night to notice the lights on in the basement.

Whatever he went with, it still would've been better than lying in bed worrying about whatever was going on in his life.

Alex rolled out of his sheets, sat on his bed, and flicked on a nearby lamp on the end table. While it didn't illuminate the entire room, there was just enough light to make out the colorful creatures that decorated his bedsheets, and the posters and pictures of various characters on the basement walls. Most importantly, there was his trusty computer desk just across from his bed, monitor off and tower softly whirring.

Near the keyboard was his Gamestation Go, which Alex wasted no time in swiping off of the desk. Now all he needed was to dig around for a game cart to stick in and play.

Alex's room was far from the cleanest, but it also was far from the messiest. There was enough space in the room to walk around without bumping into anything, and he made sure to vacuum the floor every now and then. It could only really be called "messy" because the tables and shelves were cluttered with all sorts of objects: books, game consoles, plush animals, pencils and pens... You could easily tell what kind of hobbies Alex had just from the stuff in his room. And yet somehow, even in this "organized chaos" he would call it, he always knew where he put certain things.

Alex opened the end table drawer, trying not to be too noisy. Usually he kept a few Gamestation carts in here, there had to be something he could play for the night. Surprisingly, the first thing he noticed in the drawer wasn't any specific cart, but something else.

A brass pendant of some sort, about as big as his fist, attached to a long sturdy ribbon.

Alex received a few keepsakes from his grandmother on his 18th birthday, but he couldn't remember getting anything like this. You'd think he'd recall getting a fancy pendant. As far as he knew, he probably must've stowed it away ages ago and just forgot about it.

Or maybe not. That's memory problems for you.

Perhaps it was a surprise gift from Santa? Nah, couldn't have been. Alex was 24 years old, well past the age where you usually stopped believing in things like that. He had a colorful imagination, sure, but he was still grounded enough to tell apart fantasy from reality.

Still, he always did like looking at his grandma's trinkets every now and then. She usually gave him some pretty cool stuff.

Alex took the pendant out of the drawer and sat back on his bed. Whatever this thing was, it sure looked like an antique. One side of it was embossed with odd markings, the brass itself worn and weathered with age. The other side seemed to be a window-like lid, but the glass was too scratched and cloudy to clearly make out anything inside, even under lamplight.

He noticed a small latch on the side of the pendant. With how old it looked, Alex wasn't able to swing it open with a quick flick of the thumb. He dug through the drawer again and pulled a small screwdriver out of the mess. Tool in hand, he pried the latch open, and the lid flung open with a shimmery-sounding squeak. As soon as Alex had the time tomorrow, he was going to oil the hinges on this thing.

The thing in question seemed to be a bit more than just a locket pendant. It was a compass, but not any that Alex had ever seen before. The compass rose pointed in eight directions, none of which were labeled. The needle didn't seem to be pointing north either; whenever he turned the pendant around in his hand, the needle would face a new direction.

Interestingly, while the rose didn't have the cardinal directions marked, there were eight symbols circling around it, each a different color: red, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, purple, and cyan. With how worn the compass looked, it's surprising the colors on the rose weren't faded.

With its age in mind, something else about the compass caught Alex's eye: the glass lid. It was so scuffed on the outside that it was difficult to make out what was inside the pendant, but the inside was practically spotless. An odd kind of spotless, specifically; looking through the lid from the inside, it was perfectly clear, as if the wear and tear on the lid's outside didn't exist.

Alex held the compass at eye level, trying to get a good view through the glass. Perfectly and oddly spotless. Except...

He lowered the compass, then raised it, then lowered it again, until once again holding it up to peer through the glass.

Nobody but Alex himself was in the room, but through the glass he could make out something, or rather... someone?

But it wasn't someone that he had ever seen, or even would have thought existed. A large white creature, wolflike in shape yet standing as if it were human; its paws and mane blue as ice melt, and it was looking at him with cold glowing eyes.

Alex closed the compass in hopes the creature would leave his sight. The beast would vanish every time he didn't look through the glass, and appear when he did, but this time he didn't need the compass to see it. The creature was now in plain sight, standing and leering at him.

"I see you found my gift, Alex," it spoke in a soft voice.

Startled, Alex fell onto his back into his bedsheets. Did this thing know him?!

Equally as surprised, the beast jumped a tiny bit, covering its nose with its paws. "O-oh! Please don't be frightened! I-I thought this might be a bit of a shock for you, but I assure you I mean no harm." The beast's voice, more recognizable at this point, felt far more motherly than it felt threatening.

"... Okay, then can you please explain what are you and why you know me?" Alex said, keeping his voice quiet as to not wake anyone upstairs. He had a youthful voice for his age, but it was hard to tell whether he sounded more masculine or feminine.

The creature approached him, shyly gripping her fluffy blue tail in her paws.

"... I know you don't want to remember, but... Six years ago," she spoke.

"What about six years ago?" Alex asked.

The beast paused, still clutching her tail.

"... You were crying a lot. You didn't want me to leave. I think it was the only time I saw your father cry, too."

Alex's eyes widened.

The beast nodded grimly. "... I'm so sorry it took this long to-"

Alex bolted up and hugged the wolfish creature, burying his face into her soft mane. It was cold, but not uncomfortably so; more like sinking into cold blankets on a hot summer day.

"Oh my god, Snowbell, I missed you so much," Alex said, trying so hard not to cry. Any tears that fell from his face became frozen droplets decorating the beast's fur.

Snowbell hugged him back, stroking his head in an attempt to comfort him.

"I missed you too, Alex," she said. "You've grown so much..."

The two embraced for a while. Over six years had passed since Alex and his now-beastly dog Snowbell had last been together, and both wanted to savor the reunion.

In time, Alex stopped crying. He looked up at his canine companion.

"So... you gave me that compass?" he asked.

Snowbell nodded. "Merry Christmas, Alex."

Alex smiled and nuzzled into her fluffy coat once again. "So uh, what is it? And why do you look so... different? And, you know, you can talk now, and..."

"I wouldn't worry about it so much," Snowbell chuckled. "It's late, and I'm sure you'd like to sleep more comfortably after this."

"Yeah. Jeez, why'd this have to happen so late at night..." Alex muttered.

Snowbell gently tousled her owner's hair, and smiled.

"I will explain everything in time," she spoke. "There's just far too much to say. Or rather, show you."

Alex was straightening out his blankets. "'Show me'?"

"... Words are a bit lacking to explain something like this," she added. "You'll understand eventually; you've always been a bright one."

"Aw, you're being too sweet, Snowy. I mean, you've always been a sweetheart, but..."

"Oh, Alex, before you sleep, I have one more gift to give you," Snowbell spoke.

Alex was already covered in his sheets, but he still sat up. "Hm?"

"Hold out your hand for a moment," she added.

Alex did so. Snowbell gripped his hand with a cold fur-lined paw.

A bright light shone within their grip and slowly faded. Snowbell released her paw from Alex's, revealing a shining medal in his hand. A medal that had a colorful image of the motherly monster dog emblazoned on it.

Alex's eyes glimmered in awe.

_You reunited with Snowbell._

* * *

_[A/N: been way too deep into yokai watch hell lately. gonna be a lot of fun stuff in this one, i assure you._

_and yeah if it isn't obvious (or if you haven't read the foreword which has reasons for all this), alex is pretty much based off me. except probably one of the few things separating him from me is that i'm more of a cat person than a dog person._

_idk i don't have a whole lot of comments for this one outside of "i don't how to describe my own room without going into meticulous detail" and "i cried the entire time while writing snowbell's bit".]_


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1 - Let's Go Yo-kai Watching_

**DECEMBER 28, LAST YEAR**

To the rest of the country, winter weather meant three things: overcast skies, freezing temperatures, and a whole lot of snow. If you lived in Southvale, you only saw two of those during the season.

Alex didn't mind the cold too much, it was the snow that bothered him. For one, it clung to your pants when you walked in it, and it always made a wet slushy mess whenever it melted. Plus with how rare Southvale snowfall was these last few years, you rarely got the "good" kind of snow that was perfect for making snowballs and snowcritters.

Not that he cared too much about that, at least not in his current age. It's weird how when you grow up, sometimes you grow to hate things you liked as a kid. At least the snowfall itself was still pretty to look at behind a window; the thick glittery kind was the best.

Alex and his dad were taking a stroll for the first time in a while. Even on a cold snowless afternoon like this, he still enjoyed visiting the local downtown park, especially during December. Anyone visiting Glimmer Park saw a colorful array of Christmas-themed displays and light shows decorating the park: snowmen tipping their hats, wire polar bears fishing in glowing pools, and the familiar image of a certain man's sleigh being pulled by a team of reindeer.

The decor wasn't on during the day, but Alex didn't want to wait until nightfall when it'd be even colder. Besides, that wasn't what he was here for.

Alex was a short young man of 24-and-a-half years, blonde-haired and blue-eyed (and a bit pale, too). His father looked roughly the same, except a lot taller and far more manly. In contrast to his son's youthful appearance, Alex's dad had the haggard and rugged look of someone who had spent far too many years of their life answering phone calls and fixing other people's problems, which had pretty much solidified Alex's decision to never work in telecommunications ever.

He and his dad were dressed in comfy winter coats, green and red respectively, quite a fitting combination for a post-Christmas visit to the park. Both were quite minimal in terms of flair, though Alex had a habit of switching out the patch on his jacket every now and then; this time he was sporting one of a fox holding a knife in its mouth, a FOXHOUND motif.

He darted around, gazing at the decorations that towered above him. Alex's disinterested father only followed behind him, focusing more on his work phone than anything else in the park.

"You know, you're the only kid who'd bother going out in this kind of weather," said his father, whose name was Graham.

"It's not that cold, dad," Alex insisted.

"It's 30 degrees out, and you're bundled up like you're out in the Arctic."

"C'mon, you know we've had colder." Alex stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets.

Graham just sighed. His son was not an easy guy to convince.

"I'm gonna go further ahead, gonna look at the other decorations," Alex said. "You want to meet up at the playground?"

"You got your phone with you?" Graham asked.

"Yep. In my pocket." Alex tapped one of his coat pockets.

"Alright, I'll be at the playground." His father began walking further into the park. "I got to sit down and try not to freeze. Just let me know if it's getting too cold."

"I think you're going to let me know before I do."

"Why do you think I asked if you had your phone on you?"

Alex couldn't help but snort at that. "I'll catch up with you soon, dad!" He waved to him.

Graham gave a wave back as he went down the stone path.

As his dad left his sight, Alex dug around in one of his jacket pockets. He had his phone in one, sure, but the other pocket held something different.

Alex whipped out a weathered brass compass, about as big as his fist, attached to a long sturdy ribbon. The backside of it was embossed with odd markings, and the glass lid was too clouded to clearly make out anything inside.

Dangling the compass on his wrist, Alex fished around in his pocket again, this time taking out an odd coinlike medal. He swung the compass into his palm, and with a flick of the thumb, he quickly undid the latch on the compass.

The lid swung open with a shimmering squeak, revealing the compass rose and the needle that was spinning every way but north. No cardinal directions on the rose, but eight symbols of different colors: red, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, purple, and cyan.

Alex glanced at the medal in his hand, and then around the park. Nobody in sight, as far as he could tell.

"Alrighty, just like you showed me..." Alex muttered. He placed the medal into the compass and quickly clasped it shut.

Within a few seconds, the compass started glowing.

"SUMMONING MYSTERIOUS!" boomed a voice from the compass. It opened up with a thunderous fanfare and a fountain of yellow light. Alex shielded his eyes, nearly blinded by the spectacle. He could hear some sort of music playing from the pendant, and it sounded... jazzy?

The concert-like clamor soon settled down. Alex lowered his arm and noticed something in front of him. Well, someONE, actually.

Standing in front of him was a large, white, wolflike creature, standing as if it were human. Its paws and mane were as blue as ice melt, and it was looking at him with calm comforting eyes.

"Ah, my apologies. Perhaps I should have mentioned that summoning can be rather flashy for a first-timer," it spoke with a soft, motherly tone.

"Sa'll good, Snowy," Alex said, looking around. "I just didn't know what to expect."

"... Is something the matter, Alex?" Snowbell asked.

"Nobody saw that, right?" Alex was looking around the park. Nobody seemed to be around, save for a couple of cars parked on the streets bordering the field.

"Well, as I said some time ago, you are the only one who can see me," Snowbell reassured.

"I know, but I meant the flashy summoning stuff when I stuck your medal in the compass," Alex said. "Did anyone see or hear any of that?"

The wolfish beast frowned. "Erm... I think it's safe to assume no?"

It was that unsure tone that made Alex worry. Though, considering what Glimmer Park was known for, a light show like that would not be too out of place among the other decorations. Except that it was still daytime, but he was sure he could think of a convincing lie if anyone asked about it.

"At least I know this thing works," Alex said. "Kinda wish the needle worked right..."

"It's not supposed to be a compass. It's a Yo-kai Watch; it's a device meant to track and reveal hidden yokai."

"Yeah, I know, but it still looks like a compass."

Snowbell shrugged. "Whichever is easier to say."

Alex opened the compass (or watch, however you wanted to call it, really), taking out Snowbell's medal and immediately pocketing it for safekeeping.

"Well, since you called me, I assume you would like to practice using your watch today?" the beast politely asked.

"Actually, I was kinda wondering if you wanted to walk around with me?" Alex said. "You used to like going on walks with me and dad."

As if by instinct, Snowbell's tail started wagging at the mention of the word "walk".

"... Wait, where is your father, anyway? You're not by yourself, are you?" Snowbell looked a little worried, but that didn't stop her excitement.

"Nah, he's at the playground," Alex replied, pointing to a colorful plastic structure far down the hill. "I just didn't want to embarrass myself in front of him using this thing."

Alex playfully swung the watch around by its ribbon. Snowbell walked up to him, gesturing to stop with her paws.

"You really should be more careful with that," she scolded softly. "Perhaps we can practice using it properly during our walk?"

Alex stopped swinging the watch. "Alright, but I doubt we're gonna see any yokai," he said.

"I'm sure there's a few who enjoy hanging around in the cold," Snowbell joked.

"No, I mean... aren't yokai a Japanese thing? Pretty sure we're not going to find any in America."

"Well, you're talking to one right now, aren't you?"

Alex just huffed and shook his head.

"This whole thing is still new to me," he muttered. "I didn't think yokai would actually exist..."

"Hm... look at it this way, Alex," Snowbell said. "You know how humans have legends of monsters to explain things they had no idea how to explain in ancient times?"

"Yeah!" Mythology and folklore was always a favorite subject of Alex's.

Snowbell nodded. "Those kinds of stories exist all over the world. With that in mind, perhaps the monsters in those stories could be considered 'yokai' under different names?"

"... I guess?" Alex said. "I don't think we're gonna find any tanuki in Southvale, though."

"Maybe, maybe not. ...Probably not," Snowbell said, shrugging.

Alex opened up the watch again. The needle was slowly spinning, but he wasn't sure if it meant anything. He peered through the glass lid, looking around the park for any signs of anything odd. Despite the lens being cloudy on the outside, it was practically spotless looking through it from the inside.

Alex started walking down the pathway, his canine-like companion tailing behind him. He kept pausing every now and then to look around the park, trying to see if he could find anything through the lens of the compass.

He'd done bird watching before, but yokai watching was a whole other field. At least with bird watching, you had an idea of what to look for and where to look for, and it was simple to do; the way Alex had done it was essentially "look for anything that didn't look like a pigeon".

In the case of yokai watching, though? He didn't know what to look for. Snowbell's explanation didn't help much either, which was kind of weird considering she herself was a yokai. Heck, she was the one who gave Alex the watch and showed him how to use it, and he still wasn't sure if he was using it right.

Maybe yokai watching was just one of those things that gets easier the more you practice? Even when Alex went bird watching for the first time, he had a hard time trying to fiddle about with his binoculars.

The two continued their walk through Glimmer Park. While Alex kept searching around with the watch, Snowbell was looking at the displays and decorations scattered about.

"This is amazing..." the dog yokai muttered. "Over six years since I last came here this time of the year, and they haven't bothered changing decorations at all."

"Can't fix what ain't broken, I guess," Alex said.

"Ah, did they ever fix that one fox-shaped light?" Snowbell asked.

"You mean the one that looks like it's flying two-and-a-half kites when it's supposed to be flying one?"

"The very same."

"Yeah, they still haven't figured out why the lights are wonky on that one."

"Hm. Pity, but I guess more kites means more fun for him."

They passed by the very same decoration not too long after. Alex looked at the wire kite-flying fox through the lens of the compass. Still nothing visibly odd, at least at this time of day.

Alex lowered the watch and huffed a bit, disappointed. He still continued his stroll with Snowbell. Even if he couldn't find any yokai today, at least he got to walk with his dog for the first time in years. Not to mention the trip was a whole lot more interesting now that his dog could talk.

Thinking about it made him a bit misty-eyed, but he did his best not to cry. In his age, nostalgia tended to get the better of him, even if it was just little reminders of how simple things used to be when he was a kid. Unfortunately, things seemed to be a lot more complicated nowadays than how he saw them in his younger years, and that only brought up more reminders of those "simpler times". No matter how small they were, it always hurt to think about those thoughts.

And he hated it. He hated it because there was no escaping those thoughts. Especially not with how his mind was.

But that was something Alex had to deal with another time. What mattered now is that he was having a fun walk with Snowbell after so many years, and hunting around the park for creatures that he wouldn't have even thought would actually exist. It was as close as he was going to get to those kid days of delight and wonderment, without having to worry about things like career choices and responsibility and politics and whatever other things filled him with dread just even thinking about.

Being an adult is hard, and Alex wasn't sure if he was ready for it.

The air felt more and more chilly the longer the two roamed about. Snowbell didn't seem to be too bothered by it (then again, being incorporeal probably helps with that), but right now Alex was tempted to meet up with his dad and call it a day. When you start getting cold while wearing a sweater and padded jacket, probably a good idea to head inside at this point.

He took one last glance through the watch lens, scanning the park for any signs of any yokai. Nothing. Disappointed, Alex shoved the compass in his pocket.

"Something the matter?" Snowbell asked.

"Meeting up with dad," Alex said, heading off to the playground. "It's cold and I wanna go home and flop into bed. Maybe we'll find a yokai another day."

"Hm... Alex, you might want to take out that watch again," Snowbell smiled.

Alex did so, a little confused. "Okay, but I couldn't find anything in the park."

"You might want to check your pants. Erm, your legs, I mean," she added.

"... Ooookay."

Alex flipped open the watch and glanced at the ground through the glass.

Just as Snowbell had pointed out, something was clinging to one of his pant legs. It didn't become immediately obvious, but the longer Alex focused the lens on the figure, the clearer its image became. Soon enough, he was able to see the creature without the need for the lens.

It was a small doglike creature, blue in color, shivering from the cold.

Alex went wide-eyed in surprise. "Huh. Hi there, little guy."

The dog yipped a little, looking up at him. "Y-y-you can s-see me?"

"Yup!" Alex nodded. "Are you a yokai?"

"Y-yeah," he answered.

"Oh, cool! I didn't think I'd see any of you guys here!"

"You're t-telling me... I-I thought humans h-h-hate the c-cold..."

"Yeah, but I wanted to see if I could find any yokai today."

The Pupsicle's ears drooped. "O-oh. S-sorry m-mister human, but I-I-I haven't s-seen any other y-yokai here today... Or humans, e-either..."

Snowbell frowned. "I'm not surprised, with how cold it is..." The bigger dog yokai looked rather disappointed. "I thought there'd be a few in Southvale who enjoyed it..."

"So what were you doing in the park anyway?" Alex asked Pupsicle. "You like the cold?"

"N-not really. I was g-g-gonna meet with m-my bud S-s-sigfried h-here b-but I don't think he's g-gonna s-show up..."

"Aw, well you can chill at my place for a while. Er, warm up, I mean. I got blankets."

"B-but what if he shows up w-while I'm gone?! I don't w-want him to think I-I ditched him!"

"I can keep a lookout for Sigfried," Snowbell assured. "I'll let him know if he asks were you are."

Pupsicle sighed with relief. "Thanks. I-I just don't w-want him to worry, y-y-y'know?"

"Nah, I get how you feel," Alex said, putting the compass away. He picked up the frosty pup yokai and bundled him under his arm. "Oh, uh. Name's Alex. Probably should've said that earlier."

"I-it's okay, mister Alex. My f-friends call me Ch-Chilly," he whined.

"Oh, neat! Chilly's a really cute name," Alex said.

"Th-thanks! It's s-short for Chilliam."

Snowbell giggled. "Well Chilly, I'll keep a lookout for your friend. Is there anything I should know about him?"

"O-oh, uh..." Chilly tapped his paws together. "He's white, h-he's got a f-flamey mane... really likes s-scarves and mittens this t-t-time of year..."

"He sounds pretty cool! Maybe he can stop by my house to pick you up?" Alex chimed in.

"I-if you don't mind..." he mumbled.

"I'll bring him over; I can find my way home from here easily," Snowbell said. "You two run along now. I'm sure your father's worried about you, Alex."

"Alrighty. Catch you later, Snowy!"

Snowbell gently tapped Alex on the nose. "Don't forget, I'm merely a medal's call away if you need me."

Alex waved goodbye to her as he ran down the walkway, Chilly comfortably in tow. In nearly no time at all, Alex could spot his dad at the nearby playground, lounging on a bench, looking through his phone, and generally trying to stay warm.

"Alright, Dad! I'm ready to head out!" Alex called to him.

Graham immediately looked up. "Well, it's about time. You had enough?"

"Yeah. Starting to get really cold," his son replied.

Graham got up and slipped his phone back into his jacket. "Let's get going. I really don't get how you can even stand this for so long."

"N-neither can I..." Chilly mumbled.

A bit of pause. Graham glanced in Alex's direction for a moment before continuing uphill. Odd. Could've sworn he heard something.

"... Something wrong, dad?" Alex asked.

"Nah, Alex. Just thought I heard something," Graham said. "Come on, the truck's near the gates."

With his dad leading the way, Alex just tailed behind him as they crossed through the park again, passing the same lights and displays they saw on their walk.

Alex couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about all this. He was still new to this whole yo-kai watch thing, and as far as he knew he was the only person in Southvale who could even see these creatures. Granted, it was a thing he'd come to understand with time but, at this point, Alex was just hoping his parents wouldn't ask about any weird noises or anything that came with hanging around yokai.

He was already considered a bit of an oddball as it is, didn't need any more embarrassment tacked onto that.

The last thing he wanted was explaining how he could talk to a ghost dog with a magic compass.

* * *

_[A/N: somehow this came out longer than i expected but eh_

_this also took longer to write than i expected, mostly because i wasn't too sure how to really kick things off. i do have a bit of a plan in mind for a good fraction of the story, just some of the gaps are a bit tricky to fill in. hopefully things will go a bit smoother as they go about; i got a lot of fun stuff planned for this fic._

_not a whole lot of comments for this one, though admittedly i'm not too happy with how this came out compared to the prologue (though that's probably because i actually knew what to do with the prologue lmao)._

_also i may be giving the YW localization team too much credit, but nearway through writing this i realized that Siro may be a joke on SIegfried and ROy.]_


	3. A Human's Guide to Yokai

_KUZUNOHA DETECTIVE AGENCY_  
_EXCERPTS FROM "A HUMAN'S GUIDE TO YOKAI"_  
_PENNED 201X BY RAO KUZUNOHA_

**A NOTE FROM RAO**

Some of you may be wondering why it's odd for a yokai to write something specifically aimed for humans, especially with so many other guides on yokai as it is.

I've been traveling around the human world with my apprentice for a few years now, and I've noticed a few things during that time. Recently, it seems that humans have been taking more of an interest in yokai now compared to decades past. The "Yo-kai Watches" that have been patented in our world have been sighted in theirs, and collecting yokai medals has become a pastime among human hobbyists the world over. I've seen quite a few watch holders outside of Japan if you can believe that.

With that in mind, there is a chance that someday, we may actually have a human join the ranks of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency. In the event that happens, I'd rather they be aided by a professional and not some floating marshmallow with a Y-Pad.

With all that said, I'd like to thank my apprentice Akira Yamata, who suggested I write this, to begin with. You're a wonderful student and an even greater friend. 3

**SO YOU GOT YOURSELF A YO-KAI WATCH**

I won't bother asking you how you managed to get ahold of one of these; humans seem to get ahold of yo-kai watches in a variety of ways nowadays. Maybe it was a gift of gratitude from a yokai you unknowingly helped. Or maybe it was a lucky find at an antique store, or perhaps an ancient family heirloom handed down to you. Or maybe, just maybe, you got a bit curious looking into the bargain bin at your local toy store.

How you got your watch isn't my concern. What is, however, is that you know what a yo-kai watch is and how to properly use it.

In simplest terms, a Yo-kai Watch is a device that allows humans to see and interact with yokai. The most important thing one should know is that it is NOT a typical watch; If you got one thinking it'd be a fancy timepiece, consider this your manual on how to get the most out of your watch, even if you're probably not of the target demographic.

It should also be noted that sometimes these "watches" vary in appearance. The most common models are designed to be worn on the owner's wrist, though pendant-style and pocketwatch-style watches also exist. Regardless of the model, all yo-kai watches share the same general functions needed to communicate with yokai, as well as summon them if you have a yokai's medal.

**WHAT IS A YOKAI?**

Of course, before you get around to actually using your yo-kai watch, it's important to know what a yokai is (or youkai or yo-kai, depending on how you want to spell it).

Yokai are, well, yokai. Humans call them many things, from monsters to spirits to everything in between, but yokai are more complex than what those terms would suggest. They are many things: animals and objects with personality, concepts and emotions given form, and the forces and beings behind many phenomena in the world. Yokai are all these things, and many many more, but to put it in simplest terms, they are yokai.

Granted, I'm a detective, not a professor; I'm not an expert on yokai (which is odd, considering I am one). Not even the savviest of scholars know everything about yokai, and even today there are still many mysteries about them to solve.

But doesn't that make them all the more interesting?

**YOKAI AND YOU**

There's a lot of things to learn about yokai, but this is a beginner's guidebook, not an encyclopedia. Besides, I'd rather not pay extra just to print all those extra pages down in one book. Instead, for your convenience, here are a few things to keep in mind when you go yokai watching:

-Contrary to popular opinion, yokai aren't restricted to Japan. The West has its own array of yokai (known as 'Merican Yokai), and there have even been sightings of eastern-born yokai vacationing in other parts of the world. In short, even if you aren't in Japan, don't be afraid to look around with your watch; you might even meet a yokai even I haven't seen yet!

-Yokai are classified by "Tribe", "Attribute", and "Rank". There are eight primary Tribes used to classify them (Brave, Mysterious, Tough, Charming, Heartful, Shady, Eerie, and Slippery), which typically is an indicator of their abilities. Attribute denotes elemental affinity (Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, Ice, Wind, Drain, and Restoration), and Rank indicates how powerful a yokai is (E (weakest) to A (strongest), though the most powerful yokai are rank S or higher).

-In relation to the above, if you're ever confused on what stats or classifications a particular yokai has, you can always consult your Medallium or your favorite yokai wiki.

-Yokai are more than just 'creatures', and should not be treated like 'capture critters' or the like. Though far from human, many a yokai's personalities aren't all too different from humans: they have their hobbies, their wants and needs, and their own way of going about their daily life. Treat them as you would any human you meet, with an added dose of caution and respect.

-Yokai can influence others by way of "inspiriting" them with their powers. Be mindful of this when you interact around certain yokai. The last thing you want is getting cursed just because you messed with the wrong one.

-In general, don't do anything stupid and you should be fine.

**A CLOSING NOTE**

Human history is long and storied, and us yokai have shared much of ours with them. Though they cannot see us normally, we've always been alongside them. Humans, however, are constantly changing, their technology and society evolving faster than we can keep up with. Their perception of the world around them also changed: what could have been simply stated as "the work of a yokai" could now be explained through science and logic.

But that doesn't mean we've left. There are still many things going on in the human world that all their studies can't possibly explain. Over the years, many yokai have been catching up with the modern era, while others are more comfortable sticking with the traditions they've known for centuries. Even humans, with so many tragedies and disasters going on in their world, seem to find some joy and comfort in wondering what goes bump in the night. With their interest in yokai only continuing to grow, and with the rise of the "Yo-kai Watch" craze going on in the human world, I felt it was necessary to write this guide.

However, those are not the only reasons.

I said in the opening note that someday, we may have a human join the Kuzunoha Detective Agency. We've long been supporters of the bond between humans and yokai, and believe that it is our responsibility to watch over and protect humanity, so that they may help us in kind. I want that human to help continue that cycle. I want them to make things better for both of us in these hectic times.

Some of my colleagues have argued against this, that we're just too "different" from humans to ever get along with them. Well, that may be true, but humans are different from each other too, right? Two humans can be friends even though they're both different from each other: it's all a matter of understanding and finding common ground between each other. The same is true for yokai.

Both yokai and humans are incredibly varied. They can be good, evil, smart, silly, rude, kind, ugly, scary, cute, and a lot of other things. For every yokai, there's bound to be at least one human who'd be willing to be friends with them, whether they both share the same interests or just happen to understand each other on some level. Or maybe some other factors, given how intricate friendship can be.

And I wouldn't mind being friends with the human who decides to join the Detective Agency. After all, both of us would want the best for both our worlds, even if getting there would be a lengthy process in of itself.

But most importantly, I want to be friends with that human. Because then I'd know I'd be closer to that goal.

* * *

_[A/N: man how the HECK do i go about formatting this on ffnet_

_but yeah, supplementary stuff is always fun and musing fanon worldbuilding stuff is also fun_

_had this up on toyhouse for a while; chap2 is almost done so i might as well post this as an intermission thing. there'll be a couple of these in the story, but i hope you enjoy them._

_also, feel free to ask any questions in your reviews (so long as they're related to the story!), i'll try to get to them as i can. let me know what you think of the story as well! c:_

_RE:DragonBladeB5, uhhhh, honestly i can't see a pokemon/YW crossover game working, considering they're pretty different as far as gameplay goes, idk how one would mesh with the other's style of gameplay. a pokemon game with a tactics-like battle system a la YW3 would be pretty cool, though.]_


	4. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 - Snakes and Social Gatherings _

**DECEMBER 28, LAST YEAR **

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON... **

Afternoons and evenings were quiet in the Holmes household. Mornings too, but Alex typically slept through those.

Every day was usually the same routine for him: wake up, check the internet, chat on Accord, eat dinner, maybe tag along with dad if he was going out, play video games, and then fall asleep at 2 in the morning. That's how it had been for the last several years, and that was perfectly fine by him.

Today wasn't all that different either, though it was nice to have someone to talk to in person than on a keyboard. Even if the someone in question was a hypothermic ethereal canine.

Alex carefully tread downstairs to his bedroom, carrying a mug of hot cocoa nested in a paper towel-covered plate. Once he made sure the room door was shut, he placed the plate on his bed.

"You comfy, Chilly?" Alex said.

Still shivering on the bed, the pupsicle was cuddled up against a large bandicoot plushie nearly twice his size.

"Y-yeah, kinda," the yokai yipped.

Alex gave a weak smile, handing the mug over to him. "Well, hopefully this helps. Uh... chocolate isn't dangerous to you, is it?"

"H-hot cocoa! I love this s-stuff!" Chilly barked excitedly as he grabbed the glass.

"Okay, phew. Just be careful with that? I don't really like washing sheets."

"G-got it!" Chilly took a huge gulp from the mug. His trembling slowed down. "Good stuff. ... Hey, uh. Y-you going to take off that jacket?"

"Nah, still kinda cold." Alex laid down close to him.

"Oh. Sorry, t-that happens a lot with everyone I meet."

"It's okay! At least it's a pretty comfy cold."

"U-um... thanks?" the yokai just sipped from the mug again.

Alex's room, in general, was pretty cozy, as far as he saw it. Far from the cleanest, far from the messiest, with just enough space to walk around without bumping into anything. It could only really be called "messy" because the tables and shelves were cluttered with all sorts of objects: a computer on one desk, game consoles covering another table, all manner of books and plushies and other knick knacks in between.

Apparently Chilly had an apartment of his own, which was a bit surprising for Alex to find out. Nowhere near as busy-looking as the human's bedroom was but comfy all the same, a fact that the frosty yokai pointed out as soon as Alex brought him into his room.

Well, it was the bed that Chilly was more focused on. He and Alex had the same taste in sheets: blue and decorated with colorful creatures, and comfy as heck to cuddle in on cold nights. Or cold afternoons, given the situation.

As Chilly was relaxing, Alex began cozying up in his blankets, trying to keep himself warm.

Snowbell warned him about this sort of thing: yokai were able to "inspirit" humans, affecting them in various ways based on the yokai's powers. From what he could tell, Chilly's power was to make anyone feel cold no matter how warm they tried to dress.

Luckily, it wasn't a dangerous sort of chill. In fact, it felt nicer than the weather in the park. You know how autumn is perfect sweater weather? Kind of like that, here. The chill that Alex was feeling was just about comfortable enough to bundle yourself in blankets and sweaters and not feel like you're either freezing or overheating.

Didn't mean he was going to stay awake as long as the pupsicle was here. Getting drowsy from the cold and the comfort of his sheets, he dozed off.

As Alex drifted off, he thought about turning the radio on to help himself sleep. He didn't budge though; he didn't want to bother Chilly with the noise, and he didn't want to ruin his perfect nest of blankets by getting up.

And he slept.

He must have been asleep for a while. Half an hour? Three hours? Who really knew? Probably Chilly did, considering Alex's own sense of time was terrible even with a clock in his room. Not that the yokai was going to wake him up; it's rude to inspirit people, but it's even ruder to wake them up when they're asleep.

In the midst of his nap, Alex felt a wave of heat slowly fall over him. Wasn't too bothersome at first; the guy had slept through summer nights with the AC off. But then the warmth became unbearable, worse than any summer night could bring. Then again, nobody ever sleeps through those kinds of nights in a winter coat AND covered in blankets.

Alex swung the blankets off him, quickly unzipping his coat and tossing it to the side with a heavy sigh. Thankfully he was wearing a t-shirt underneath, so it didn't take too long for him to cool off.

"Oh, you're up."

Chilly wasn't anywhere to be seen. Instead, it was Snowbell who was sitting at the end of his bed, along with... a young man sitting in his computer chair?

He looked human, and a little bit older than Alex, but his taste in clothes were a stark contrast to the human's wardrobe. He had a more formal look that you'd expect to see with someone at a job meeting: black coat, dress pants, black boots, and a dragon like scarf made of blue swirling mist.

This guy looked human for sure, but Alex wasn't sure if he actually was human. Or from Southvale, for that matter. With long black hair and a rather mysterious appearance about him, this guy had the sort of look you'd see out of a character from an anime. Or video game. Or both.

"We weren't being too loud, were we?" the newcomer said.

"... Naaaaah, it's okay, I'm a pretty heavy sleeper," Alex said, a little nervous in front of the new guy.

"I know," the young man said. "Shiranui told me about that."

"... Shiranui?"

"Ah, just an alias I go by at my workplace," Snowbell replied.

Alex looked surprised. "You never told me you had a job, Snowy. I didn't even think yokai had jobs."

Snowbell chuckled. "Yokai have more in common with humans than you think. That aside, I'd like you to meet one of my colleagues."

"Akira Yamata, detective." He got up and extended a hand over to the human. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Holmes."

Alex hesitated a moment before shaking the yokai's hand.

"Something wrong?" Akira asked.

"No, it's just... I'm still getting used to this whole yokai stuff, you know?" Alex said.

"Right. My apologies."

"It's alright, you don't need to be so formal about it. Just call me Alex, okay?"

"Got it."

"But yeah, it's nice to meet you, mister Yamata!"

Akira smirked. "Now you're the one being formal."

"Oh. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I'm used to it. A lot of people call me that."

"Okay, just making sure." He turned to Snowbell. "Jeez though, I didn't know you knew other yokai, Snowy."

"A lot of things can happen in six years," the dog yokai answered with a smile. "Akira was actually the one who got me this job a couple of years ago. I even have my own office and business cards~"

Alex's eyes lit up in amazement. "Can you show me?"

"Mhm, of course~"

A cloud of thick blue smoke swirled around Snowbell's hand and materialized into a little paper card. She handed it over to Alex.

It wasn't a terribly fancy card, no gaudy fonts or gold lettering or anything of the sort. It was a rather plain card with a cute clipart of a fox statue in the corner, holding a magnifying glass in its mouth. The rest of the card read as such:

_"SHIRANUI" SNOWBELL HOLMES _  
_JOURNEYMAN DETECTIVE _

_KUZUNOHA DETECTIVE AGENCY _  
_961 MYOBU BLVD, NEW YO-KAI CITY _  
_YKW-116-2015 (ext. 132) OR inquiries _

_"No secret stays hidden. No mystery stays unsolved." _

Never before did a tiny piece of cardboard raise so many questions. Alex didn't know where to begin.

"... This is so cool..." Might as well begin with that.

Snowbell softly giggled. "It's an interesting job to have, to say the least. Good to know ol' Snowy hasn't been completely bored these last few years, isn't it?"

Alex just nodded and smiled. "So if you guys are detectives, does that mean you go on cases and stuff?"

"More or less, yeah," Akira said. "Most of the time it's just missing yokai cases and tracking down yo-criminals. Nothing major lately."

"We were working on solving a theft case, though the trail seems to have gotten cold over the holidays," Snowbell added. "Quite funny, no?"

Alex blinked. "As in literally, or..."

"... Weeeee've been having trouble. That aside, it's an interesting little job. Helps pay the rent."

"Wait, you have an apartment too, Snowy?"

"Of course."

"... Man, there's still a lot about yokai I gotta learn."

Akira smirked, more amused than just outright teasing the poor human.

"Well, if you want, you can stop by the Agency next time you're free. The boss is okay with humans, and we can hit you up with some guidebooks," he said.

"Oh cool!" Alex clapped his hands together in glee. "So uh, how far is New Yo-kai City, anyway?"

And just like that, the mood of the conversation went... kind of awkward. Not a bad kind of awkward, but a weird one.

"Well, it's in the Yo-kai World," Snowbell said, tapping her claws together, "so, er..."

"Parallel dimension?" Alex immediately piped up.

"Pretty much?" Akira looked surprised. "You catch on quick."

"Yeah, I just figured. So how do you guys get to Southvale from here? Magic?"

"By bus, actually. Coachnyan Lines."

"You guys have buses... actually, I dunno why that surprises me at this point."

Snowbell snickered. "Maybe I can take you along for New Year's. I have a bus pass."

Alex didn't respond. He tapped at his bed a couple times, but he didn't say anything for a while.

"Is something the matter, Alex?"

"... Yeah, I... don't really know how we're gonna do this. I can't really tell my parents 'hey the ghost of my dog wants me to come to the yokai world with her, can I go'."

"Oh, right." Akira paused a moment. "... You have human friends, right? Just say you're going to visit them for a while."

"Noooot in Southvale, no," Alex frowned. "Pretty much all my friends are online."

"What about Harvey? Did he move?" Snowbell asked.

"Nah, as far as I know, he still lives in Dewford. It's just... god, it's been forever since I talked to the guy, y'know?"

"That's odd... I remember back when I still lived with you, you'd ask your dad if he could drive you to his place for game nights."

Alex sighed. "Yeah, but he's been tied with college lately. I mean, I still talk with him on Accord sometimes, but... man, I can't even remember the last time I met up with him in person, you know?"

Snowbell frowned again. "Oh dear..."

Akira looked equally as worried. "Jeez..."

"It's alright. These things just happen, y'know?" Alex smiled weakly. "Life's kinda weird like that."

"I suppose..." Akira went deep in thought for a moment, his dragon-like scarf calmly relaxing on his shoulders. "... Okay, would you be alright with sneaking out?"

"Like what, in the middle of the night?" Alex looked a bit surprised at that remark.

"Mhm."

"I mean, I have the keys, but I don't wanna freak out my parents. What if they check on my room while I'm gone?"

"Got you covered," Akira said, grinning. "One thing, though. You don't mind sharing your room with someone, do you?"

"What, like a roommate?"

"Yeah. Friend of a coworker's been having trouble sleeping, and they're looking for a rent-free place to stay."

Alex gave it a bit of thought. He had stayed with Harvey once or twice years back, but he never had anyone stay in his own room. Unless we're taking yokai into account. For the last couple of nights, Snowbell had been sharing Alex's bed with him, just as she had done when she was alive.

In that case, maybe it'd be okay for another yokai to sleep over here? All else failed, there was always the couch in the other room.

"... Yeah, sounds cool!" Alex finally piped up.

"Alright, cool." Akira got up from his seat. "I'll see if I can hook him up when I get back home. Was nice meeting you, Alex."

"You too, Akira!" he smiled.

Snowbell waved to Akira as he approached the bedroom door. "See you around New Years?" the dog yokai said.

"Yeah. Hopefully, nothing gets in the way by then. Catch you later, guys. Thanks for letting us know about Chilly."

Before Alex could say goodbye again, Akira vanished in a shroud of blue mist.

Alex just blinked. "... Couldn't he use the door?"

"Oh, that's just how he is. It's easier to teleport than walk around all the time."

Alex simply nodded in response. He fell back into his sheets, relaxing in the comfy bundle. Once again, the same nostalgic thoughts he had at the park were beginning to cloud his mind.

He had friends. Well, human friends, if we're being specific. Even now, he still had human friends. Good ones that he could spend hours on Accord just talking with them about whatever came to mind.

Of course, talking to people with a keyboard was easy. Talking in person was another story.

"... Hey, uh, Snowbell?" Alex asked.

She turned to him. "Hm?"

"When was the last time you remember me going to see Harvey?"

"..." Snowbell's ears drooped. "... My, that was such a long time ago... I can only remember so many things from my pet life, you know?"

"Yeah, but you probably remember better than I can."

"Don't put yourself down like that, Alex," she said with a weak smile. "I'm sure you can remember plenty. When do you last remember speaking with him?"

"In person? ... Crap, I think like... Couple years back, maybe? Three, I think."

"That's not too far off."

"Feels that way to me," Alex mumbled.

"Well, do you remember what happened then?"

Again he sighed, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "... Yeah, I think it was at GameHaven a couple years back. Summer, I think. Forgot what he was there for, and I don't remember what we really talked about. But I do remember asking for his Accord name and him buying Okami for me as a birthday gift."

Snowbell giggled. "See? You remember!"

"Yeah, but I still haven't met up with him again since then."

"Maybe next year might be a good time to hang out with Harvey again?"

"... Maybe? I dunno, really depends on what he's doing. Haven't talked to him online in awhile."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna bug him, y'know? And I don't really know what to talk about half the time."

"I don't know, you did pretty well with talking to Akira."

"Only because he was in my room and I didn't know how else to react. What would you have done if you woke up and he was in your room?"

Snowbell shrugged. "I'd ask him how he was doing, what's going on at the station."

"... Right, I forgot you knew the guy. Okay, what if he was a yokai you didn't know? Then what?"

"I'd call the police."

"Okay, kind of extreme there!"

The dog yokai just snorted. "Still, I think you're making a step in the right direction. Maybe you can build up confidence talking with Akira's friend?"

"... I guess." Alex didn't look too sure.

"I'm sure you can handle it," Snowbell smiled. "You got along well with Chilly and Akira, I'm sure you'll do fine with his friend."

Alex really wasn't sure his dog was getting the point. Snowy meant well. She always did. Though, she didn't seem to realize that there was a difference between talking to people and talking to yokai.

Still, any step forward is better than standing still.

"Oh yeah, how's Chilly doing? He get home okay?" Alex piped up.

"He's doing fine, just Sigfried was a little late to the park. Apparently, he had a bit of a run-in with a yokai delinquent, but Akira sorted that problem out."

"Ahhhhh. What'd he look like?"

"Sigfried? Well, just as Chilly described, I suppose..." Snowbell tapped her claws together. "A little white lion with a flaming mane. Dressed very comfy, too."

"Awh, I wish I could've seen him," Alex said. "... Hey, Snowy?"

"Hm? Yes?"

"I can't wait to go to the Yo-kai World."

Snowbell smiled warmly. "And I can't wait to go with you."

**DECEMBER 29, LAST YEAR **

Things went pretty quiet since Akira's visit. Nothing really happened for the rest of yesterday, and today wasn't very eventful either.

For most of the afternoon, Alex was spending his time talking to some of his Accord friends. As for Snowbell, she was relaxing on his bed, merely watching him from afar. She tried striking up conversation with her owner, but the two of them never went really far with their topics. With that, things had been quiet in his room for the time being.

And then there was a knock at the door.

Taking notice, Alex got up from his seat. "Yeah?"

No response.

Alex's parents rarely came to the basement, and more often than not it was just for checking on laundry and the water heater.

"Hm. Must be Akira's friend," Snowbell wondered.

With that, Alex swiped his compass off his desk. He opened it and held the lens up to his eyes as he slid the door open.

The "person" at the door looked human, though Alex could more easily tell that this guy definitely wasn't human. The moon-tipped tail was a dead giveaway.

In fact, this yokai looked a bit like Akira, or at least Alex could see why this guy was a friend of his. Instead of anything black, this yokai wore all white and even had white hair; the only bit of black on him was the leopard spots on his nightgown. He also looked like he was going to collapse from lack of sleep.

"Hey. You're Alex, right?" the yokai asked.

"Yep. You're Akira's friend?" Alex said.

"Yeah, kinda. Name's Kaz. Kazuya Nitetsu. But just call me 'Kaz'."

"Okay! Nice to meet you-"

Kaz just passively shoved Alex to the side and walked into the bedroom. He didn't pay any attention to Snowbell, either; Kaz just flopped into the human's bed as if he came back from a 20-hour shift.

"Uh... Kaz, that's my bed." Alex wasn't too angry about it, but he was more than a little miffed.

"Yeah, and it's damn comfy," Kaz said, not even making eye contact with him.

Snowbell just frowned, looking at the tired yokai on the bed. Maybe it would've been a good idea for Akira to let them know what kind of person this "friend of a coworker" was.

Or let them know how long he was going to room here.

Still, at least Alex now had a surefire way to sneak out for their little trip. So long as he and Kaz could figure out how they're going to go about this whole "roommate" business.

Just because Kaz was living rent-free didn't mean he was going to freeload.

* * *

_[A/N: woah huge delay between this and the last chapter_

_mostly had art stuff during the spring and summer, plus i was at a bit of a mental halt with this for a while. hopefully the next chapter should go a bit smoother since i actually have some events planned in advance. _

_i'm not entirely sure how i'd go about with talking with yokai, but i know for a fact that talking with people face-to-face is kind of difficult for me. idk if it's something that i take for granted or just a thing that's naturally difficult for me; there's a huge difference between talking to someone through IMs or mic, and doing it in person._

_not that internet talking a bad thing by any means; it's just different forms of communication. there's a couple nuances between forms of communication and the settings where such is done, especially on the internet, but that kinda stuff is way too complex for me to even write anything coherent about._

_but then again i think those themes are just going to naturally bleed into the story. hey, i did mention in the preface that i wanted to explore myself through a fictional setting :'3_

_anyhow, hope you guys can't wait to visit the yokai world next chapter! and for more stuff to kick off! woo!]_


	5. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 - Happy New Year_

** DECEMBER 31, LAST YEAR**

When having someone stay with you, there are two key things to keep in mind: boundaries and accommodations. A roommate is still a guest: they have to follow the rules you set if they want to continue living with you. Moreso, it's your responsibility to make sure your roommate is comfortable living in your home; a comfy bed, plenty of food, and entertainment are usually key to this.

These things are a bit different with yokai compared to humans, namely that most yokai make for terrible roommates.

Of course, Snowbell was one of the rare exceptions, but she was basically a dog. A walking talking spirit dog, but still a dog. She could make do with a bundle of towels at the foot of her owner's bed, and funnily enough, she had a similar setup at her apartment. Saves a bundle on furniture repairs, believe it or not.

Kazuya, on the other hand, was extremely self-serving. He wasn't one for taking orders (especially from humans), and he was far more concerned with what he wanted compared to Alex's own comfort. Unfortunately for the human, it wasn't like he could easily kick Kaz out.

So it goes without saying that the last day and a half had been rough for Alex.

The Holmes household was small and seemed to be in a state of constant renovation. Every room save for the kitchen and Alex's own room was cluttered with all sorts of things, specifically boxes and furniture that hadn't been moved to other rooms yet. There were four beds, but only three of them were used in the bedrooms; the fourth was in the basement in the room next to Alex's, being used as a glorified laundry table.

Alex spent most of yesterday clearing stuff off of the laundry-covered bed after Kaz was insistent on sleeping in Alex's. Kaz wasn't too happy about the "new" bed, but he and Alex were able to figure out a compromise: whenever Alex was out for the night, Kaz could sleep in his room's bed until he came back.

Not a perfect solution considering Alex never went out late at night, but it'd work for tonight.

It was an hour to midnight and the two were just relaxing in the basement bedroom: Alex on the computer, and Kaz in his bed.

As for Snowbell, she was outside in the front yard, waiting for Alex's parents to leave. Graham Holmes and his wife Roberta were heading out to watch the New Year's celebration downtown, and they trusted Alex with taking care of himself for the night. The two entered the car, neither of them noticing the wolflike creature watching them from atop the fence.

The parents seemed to be talking about something, but Snowbell couldn't make out any of it. Still, she looked a little worried. The dog's worried look remained as the car left the driveway into the suburban streets.

Soon after, Snowbell vanished in a puff of smoke and reappeared in Alex's bedroom.

"Oh, they're gone?" Alex turned his attention away from his computer.

Snowbell nodded. "Car just left the driveway. Are you ready to head out?"

"Gimme a bit, I tell my friends I'll be off for the night."

"Take your time, Alex." She turned to the insomniac yokai on the bed. "Kazuya, we'll need you to cover for him while we're gone."

"Yeah, I figured," Kaz grumbled. "I don't need to stay up the whole night, do I?"

"Nah, you can sleep whenever. Mom's been wanting me to sleep earlier anyway," Alex said.

"Didn't stop you from staying up till 3 last night," Kaz snarked.

"I was busy, okay?"

"Yeah, watching some human dweeb play video games."

"And talking with friends, y'know."

"Sure you were."

"Kazuya, that's enough," Snowbell barked firmly. "Now, you're familiar with the plan we discussed?"

"Yeah, yeah. Figured that's why Akira wanted me here."

It didn't take too long for Alex to get prepared for the nighttime weather outside. Of course, he'd need his jacket, but he made sure to pack some other essentials for the short trip. His Gamestation Go, his wallet, his phone, and an assortment of notepads and pencils to draw with, all packed into a backpack shaped like a purple dragon.

Most importantly, he took the compass and shoved it in his jacket pocket, making sure to zip it shut.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Alex said.

"You sure?"

Alex double-checked his bag. He quickly swiped a couple of charging wires off the table and stuffed them in.

He wasn't sure how long this little trip was going to be, but he didn't want to be stuck with a drained phone. Or a drained game handheld, for that matter.

"Okay, NOW I'm ready," he said yet again.

"All right, then," Snowbell smiled. "Kazuya?"

"Yeah, got it," the yokai answered. "Be warned, I'm kinda outta practice with this."

Kaz huffed for a moment and straightened himself. With a snap of his fingers, he was completely shrouded in a cloud of white mist. When the mist cleared, the yokai now looked like a mirror image of Alex.

"... Hey, I don't look that tired!" Alex said.

Or close enough, at least. With the dark markings under his eyes, you could easily tell this "Alex" was actually Kaz.

"Hey, I've known you for all of one day, and I haven't done this kinda thing in years," Kazlex sneered. "Give me a break."

"Oh, sorry..." Alex mumbled in apology. Somehow being snapped at by someone stung a lot more when that someone looked like you.

"Eh, don't worry about it. You have fun. Tell Akira I said hi."

"Okie! Just don't mess up anything too much!"

"That won't be a problem." And with that, Kazlex immediately flopped into his bed.

Alex and Snowbell quietly left the room, making sure to turn off the lights and shut the bedroom door.

Even with his parents away, it wasn't too difficult for Alex to leave the house. There were a couple sets of spare keys on the hanger. Alex took a set with him; hopefully his parents wouldn't notice when they came back. Luckily them being absent meant that Alex could make as much noise as he could without getting into trouble. Still, he quietly unlocked the door and silently slipped outside.

He never had snuck out of the house before, especially not this late at night. Had no reason to, and even at a young age, he knew how dangerous the outside world was at this kind of time. Maybe it would've been a good idea to pack a survival knife, just in case anyone tried to mug him. Then again, what kind of criminal would be out in this freezing cold?

Alex shivered, feeling the bitter cold air against his face. After shutting the door and making sure to lock it, he immediately pulled up his hood.

"This isn't going to be too long of a walk, is it?" Alex mumbled.

"Not too long," Snowbell assured. "Closest stop is downtown past the park. You got your watch on you?"

"Yup. Pocket's zipped and everything."

The dog yokai smiled. "Good. I got my card on me. Let's get going."

The two left through the driveway, walking down the path into the suburbs. It was a fairly small neighborhood, and Glimmer Park wasn't too far away from it; two or three sidewalks away at the most. As they approached, Alex immediately suggested they take a detour through the park, just to see the pretty lights.

Hard to really tell if it'd make the trip shorter, but it was nice to see the Christmas displays up close during the night. Only other times he was able to see them lit up was when he was riding in the truck. Might as well take advantage of this little outing before they were taken down for the year.

"Hey, Snowy?" Alex asked.

"Hm?"

"What's the Yo-kai World like, anyway?"

Snowbell smiled. "Have you ever been to Japan before, Alex?"

"Snowy, I've never been out of state, let alone another country," he said, a little annoyed.

The yokai's ears flattened. "Oh. Well, have you seen pictures, at least?"

"Yeah, of course. Read a lot about it. I still wanna visit Akihabara one of these days."

"Well, perhaps New Yo-kai City might be a nice substitute until you get the means. Little bit like Tokyo, little bit like Kyoto..."

"Woah, you've been there, Snowy?"

"... No, but Akira's shown me photos of them." Snowbell sheepishly tapped her paws together.

Alex smirked. "It's alright! I get what you're going for, I think I can picture that in my head."

"Hmhm, I think you'll enjoy it a lot, Alex."

The displays became fewer in number as the two continued their stroll through the park, approaching the playground. From there, they took the road downtown, keeping to the sidewalk as they made their way.

With the coming of the new year, Downtown Southvale saw quite a bit of activity tonight. The taller buildings, apartments most likely, had many of their windows alight thanks to people waiting to celebrate the new year. Though, many of the smaller buildings that made up the bulk of the town were closed, with the only lights coming from them were from flickering fairy lights that hadn't been taken down yet.

There weren't too many cars on the road, but that didn't stop Alex from looking both ways before crossing. Mostly he was just worried that someone would see him wandering around at this time of night; less because he would get into trouble, more that he didn't want to explain why he was out and about tonight.

"So how much farther do we have to go?" Alex groaned. At this rate, his feet were going to give out from how much he walked.

"Not too far," Snowbell said. "You see the sign that says 'Shuck Street'?"

"Yep. Right over there."

"Mhm. That's where the bus usually stops."

Just across from them was a large "island" in the street where the sign was. A rather odd place for a bus stop, considering there wasn't anything there that would've designated it as a bus stop; no benches, no shelters, nothing other than the street signs for Shuck and Noir street. The only other thing on the "island" was a weathered metal statue of two crows perched on a stone.

"You sure?" Alex asked.

"I'm sure. This is where I usually wait for the bus. We might be a bit early, though," Snowbell said.

Just as the two stepped onto the cobblestone island, Alex took a moment to sit down and grab his phone out of his bag. He quickly turned it on.

"... Half-hour till midnight? Huh. Thought we would've taken longer..."

Snowbell kneeled by his side. "Well, the bus doesn't arrive until midnight."

"That's the thing. How are we going to burn an extra thirty minutes?"

"You could play something on your Gamestation."

Alex stuffed his phone back into his dragon backpack. "I know, but I don't want the bus to show up if I'm in the middle of gaming."

"Well, I'm here to talk while we wait."

"What can we talk about?" he said, swinging his bag onto his back.

"Surely you have some questions about the Yo-kai World. I can answer them before we get there."

Alex shuffled himself into a better sitting position before he took some time to think. He quickly glanced across the area before turning to Snowbell.

He wasn't afraid of anyone overhearing him, but he was still worried that someone would spot him and mistake him for a runaway.

"... Have other people been to the Yo-kai World before?" he asked.

"Of course! Human visitors aren't as rare as you'd think they are," the dog yokai said with a cheerful smile.

"And the yokai are okay with them?"

She nodded. "I haven't met too many myself, but I've been told that many of our human guests are surprisingly well-behaved. And that many of them are children, worryingly."

"Oh jeez, that's kinda scary." With what Alex had to do to get out here, he was afraid of a kid doing the same.

Snowbell nodded again. "Mmhm. Of course, these children have Yo-kai Watches of their own, but I still can't help but be a tiny bit worried for them..."

"Huh. Well, if they have watches too, I'm sure they got someone like you keeping them safe!"

Snowbell sat up a little in surprise. "Aaaaaa I'm sure, too! I just don't want anyone getting hurt, you know?"

"Nah, I can understand! I'm sure a lot of yokai in the Yo-kai World are pretty nice anyway, otherwise I don't think they'd have too many humans visiting."

The dog yokai chuckled a little. "True. And I can assure you that a lot of the yokai there are pretty friendly."

Alex smirked cheerfully. "Oh yeah, I've kinda been wondering another thing?"

"And that would be?"

Again, he paused. Briefly this time, but he was trying to figure out how to word this as best as he could.

"Do they speak Japanese or English in the Yo-kai World?" he finally asked.

Snowbell just gave him a confused stare. "... Yes."

"Huh. Would've thought it was only Japanese... Wait, how does that work, exactly? Does everyone just naturally know English, or..."

"I think it'd be better that you don't worry about it and just enjoy the trip," Snowbell giggled. "That goes for everyone reading this at home, too."

"... 'Kay, then."

The dog yokai just gave a grin and a warm chuckle.

Some time passed, but not for too long. Alex didn't have a whole lot of other things to talk about, so the rest of the while was mostly silent. That is, until he overheard Snowbell talking to someone.

"Oh? Hello there. ... Ah, my apologies."

Alex stood up. He couldn't hear anything, let alone see anything. He took out his compass and focused the lens beside Snowbell, revealing a yokai that looked like a depressed blue crane.

"Oh, hi there," Alex said, putting the watch away.

"Darn... and I was hoping you weren't gonna see me," the crane yokai Buhu sighed. "It's kinda rude to listen in on other people's conversations, y'know..."

"Ahhh, sorry!"

"No, no, it's okay. It happens quite a lot," Buhu moped. "Just... can you guys stop being noisy for a while?"

"Sorry..." Alex mumbled in apology. "You waiting for the bus, too?"

"What's the point? I know I'm late for it again, I always am."

"Hm... the bus always arrives here every midnight," Snowbell said. "Alex, can you check the time?"

He peeked at the phone in his pocket and flipped it on. Two minutes till midnight.

"Super close to New Year's now," Alex answered.

"New Year's? Oh no..." Buhu started sobbing. "They're not gonna show up on a night like this... Whoever heard of a bus operating on the holidays?"

"H-hey, don't cry! I'm sure it'll come! Might run a bit late, but it'll come!" Alex tried to reassure the crying crane yokai but to no avail. He turned to Snowbell. "Snowy, the bus shows up on holidays, right?"

Snowbell pursed her lips. "... I'm... not sure, I never really took the bus on a holiday."

"Aaaaaaaaaaa, a yes or no would've been nice!" Alex began panicking. "L-look, we'll know if it's coming in a couple minutes, okay? Maybe sooner?"

No use. Buhu just kept on crying.

Alex looked away, rather uncomfortable at this point.

"It's okay," Snowbell tried reassuring him, "I think he's just like that."

Alex only grumbled in reply. She may be right, but it still sucks to see someone crying like that. Luckily this would only last for another minute.

Midnight arrived, and so did the New Year, although there wasn't much of a fanfare; no fireworks going off in town or clock bells ringing. Alex's phone didn't even message him wishing him a happy New Year.

But Last Year was now last year, and this year was the New Year.

"Oh, would you look at that?" Snowbell mumbled.

"Huh? Oh! Happy New Year, Snowy!"

"Mhm. Thank you, Alex, but what I meant was..." She pointed down the street. "Look what arrived."

Coming down the road was a fairly large bus, brownish in color from what he could tell from the light of the street lamps. The side of it had a cute-looking logo that read "Coachnyan Lines", but outside of that, nothing else about the bus seemed outwardly off.

Continuing at a steady pace, it soon stopped at the Shuck Street sign, right in front of the three.

"... Oh, darn. I got myself all worked up for nothing..." Buhu whined.

The door of the bus opened, and a tabby cat ran out. Not just any tabby cat, but one standing on its hind legs, his two tails lit up with cold flame.

He also looked really cute and was wearing a party hat. In his excitement, the cat yokai nearly bumped into Alex.

"Nya! S-sorry about that!"

"Sa'll good! Happy New Year!" Alex said.

"Same to mew! Have a good 20XX!" The Tabbynyan tooted his party horn before running off.

Snowbell gave a polite wave to the cat before boarding the bus. Alex just followed from behind.

Nothing about the inside of the bus seemed non-bus-like outside of the occupants, though that was probably to be expected of a bus for yokai. Various yokai of all sorts were seated, but only a few Alex could recognize from books and internet pages: a turtlelike kappa on one seat, and a couple of two-tailed cats talking to each other on another row.

The rest of the passengers didn't even register as yokai he was familiar with: there was a bulldog in a bowler hat, and a couple of humanlike yokai dressed up in 1930s England fashion. There was even a big blue tyrannosaur sleeping at the back of the bus, with a... confused-looking ear of corn sitting in front of him?

Seems that the world of yokai was a lot bigger than what Alex was familiar with, and he hadn't even been in the actual "yokai world" yet.

"Hiya, miss!" said the calico cat yokai cabbie at the wheel. "Bus pass all accounted for?"

Snowbell nodded. In a puff of smoke, her pass appeared in her hand. A pretty simple card, but it had a cute cat icon on it.

"Oh, and don't mind the human. He's with me," she added.

"Alrighty, just remember to get him his own pass," Cabbienyan said. "Don't get a lot of humans traveling, but that doesn't mean nya'll get a free ride."

"I'll handle it when we get off. Thank you." Snowbell beckoned her owner to follow. "You can pick your own seat. I'll sit nearby."

Alex took a few steps in front of her. He gave a couple of friendly waves to the passengers, though only a few returned the gesture. The kappa answered to him with a casual "' sup, dude".

It didn't take too long for him to pick a seat; the bus was pretty packed and there weren't a whole lot empty seats. Moreover, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, what with the passengers giving him looks. Curious looks rather than looks of disgust or the like, but Alex didn't like the attention either way.

Riding public transit always made him feel a bit shy.

Alex sat down behind the two cat yokai. He kept close to the windows since he usually liked seeing the scenery go by whenever he rode the school bus years back. Snowbell passed by his seat, though Alex frantically patted down the spot next to him.

"Uh, you think you can sit with me? 'Coz this is my first time here, and..."

Snowbell giggled. "Alright, Alex."

With that, she sat next to him.

Buhu boarded the bus and took his own seat, and a couple of the other yokai passengers got off as well.

Cabbienyan honked the bus horn, though it was more of a loud blaring "NYA" than a "honk".

"Last call to get off at Southvale! Leaving for the Yo-kai World in a minyute!" he shouted.

"Woah woah, wait! You said 'Springdale' the first time!" said the kappa.

Cabbienyan's ears flattened. "No, I knyow what I said..."

"Aaaagh. Alright, I'll catch you later, dude." The kappa waved to a yokai beside him before heading out of the bus, though Alex couldn't really make out who he was waving to.

He couldn't help but feel a little out of place, riding on a bus full of yokai creatures. Not so much that he was the only human riding; honestly, the way the yokai passengers were acting wasn't any different from what human passengers did on... well, human buses. Some were making casual conversation, others were checking their phones, and of course there was the t-rex in the back sleeping.

The atmosphere wasn't really any different from that of a human bus, but Alex still felt like the odd one out in the whole crowd. Not for any particular reason, he just always felt like this whenever he was out in public. Heck, he only ever rode the bus a few times, and all those times he was with his dad; Alex never rode alone, and the mere thought of it terrified him.

Probably a good idea he was with Snowbell. There was a lot of things about yokai he still needed to know, and he didn't feel so confident stepping into the Yo-kai World alone.

"Okay! Nyext stop, the Yo-kai World!" Cabbienyan shouted. He cranked the gearshift into position, and the engines revved up with a mighty purr. The doors of the bus closed shut.

Well, speak of the devil.

The human shifted a bit in his seat, half-nervous and half-excited. No turning back now.

The bus began rolling down the street at a steady pace. Alex just leaned against the window, watching the familiar buildings of Downtown Southvale pass by, and all sorts of other places he recognized from riding in his father's truck down the very same streets.

It didn't take too long for these sights to vanish from his view, as the bus passed into a thick veil of mist...

* * *

_[A/N: merry (belated) christmas, everyone!_

_yeah this. took a while. it's not necessarily a matter of it being difficult to write, more of the latter half of this year just sapping so much out of me mentally that it was difficult to even force myself to work on anything. writing, artwork, just. anything. things have just been really rough for me, and i really don't want to discuss them here. suffice to say that next year and this new decade is going to be a time where i'm really going to have to better myself, both as a person and as a creator._

_main takeaway from all this, next time i write a chapter, it's not gonna take me four freakin' months to publish it._

_don't really have too much to say about this one, though that's probably because this one was in development hell for a while and i just. kinda forgot about what i have to say._

_WE'LL BE IN THE YOKAI WORLD NEXT CHAPTER, HONEST_

_also, there's a slight change to the fic title, mostly since i feel that like YW Shadowside and YW Forever Friends, the tone's going to be pretty different from that of the "original" YW anime and games. what exactly will that entail? heck if i know, we'll see as the story goes on!]_


End file.
